Environmentalists at War with Feds Over Suisun Bay Pollution

By Alison Gonzalez

Published on November 14, 2007

A mothballed fleet of approximately 70 military warships used during World War II called the "ghost fleet" have lingered in the San Francisco Bay well past their Congress-ordered removal date in 2006.

Now, the National Resources Defense Council, San Francisco Baykeeper, and Arc Ecology environmental groups are suing the federal government for violating environmental regulations by allowing the decaying ships to leak toxic pollution into the sea.

The lawsuit asks the court to evaluate the fleet's environmental impact and create a plan to clean up the hazardous waste leaching below the water's surface.

The boats, kept afloat in case of war, have dropped heavy metals and contaminated paint into the bay for years. According to NRDC, approximately 18 tons of asbestos, mercury, PCBs, lead, and other substances are contaminating the floating junkyard.

Environmentalists said the bay is a critical body of water that links the Sacramento Delta to the San Francisco Bay. It is also home to approximately 40 endangered species, such as Chinook salmon and Delta smelt. Because of this, the ships pose a major threat to health and the environment.

The Maritime Administration has agreed to dispose of the ships, but clean up is on hold until a plan is created that follows state regulations.

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